Intermittently and pawl driven, single axis, multiple drum calendar



Jan. 4, 1949. J. c. MORRIS INTERMXTTENTLY AND PAWL DRIVEN, SINGLE AXIS, MULTIPLE DRUM CALENDAR Filed Feb. 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. BY L/ZZFEFH [I Nam/5 A TTHHZVEY Jan. 4, 1949. c, R I 2,458,092

INTERMITTENTLY AND PAWL DRIVEN, SINGLE AXIS, MULTIPLE DRUM CALENDAR Filed Feb. 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z 4 a W 0 7 Q M A n P. 5 uwfi wm Jfi H w wv Y 2, x Mm B 15 1a. 4/4 4/5 i3 5. ,Jb

TUHNEY latented Jan. 4, 1949 INTERMITTENTLY AND: PAWL DRIVEN,

SINGLE AXIS, MULTIPLEv DRUM CAL- ENDAR Joseph 0. Morris, Chicago, Ill. ApplicationFebruary. 22, 1945, Serial No. 579,184.

1 Claim. 1

The invention relates to improvements in mechanical calendars and more-particularly to a novel perpetual calendar of a kind including elements enclosed within a casing and carrying day of the week, month, and day of the month representations, independently movable to successively carry the representations past window openings in the casing.

An. objectv of the present invention is to provide anovel and efficientcalendar of the kind described which may be operated automatically through association with an ordinary clock mechanism or manually.

Another object of the invention is to provide a calendar of the character referred. to which when operated automatically, as by the operation of associated clock mechanism,.will.require no attention other than such manual setting as may be required at the end of each calendar month.

Another object of. the invention. is to provide a novel calendar which involves but few working parts, is eflicient, positive,.and accurate in operation and notexpensive to, manufacture.

Other and further objects of the. present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims andv are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof, and which is considered to be the best mode. contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments of. the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the improved calendar.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig.2, but omitting the armature.

Fig. 4 is a transverse central sectionalview takenon line 44'of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the rotatable trip lever actuating member.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the pawls.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 the mechanism ofthe calendar embodying the features of.

2 the present, invention is enclosed within a suitable casing II which includes a top wall l2 and a removable bottom wall 13', preferably fashioned from sheet material and provided in its front wall M with a plurality of window openings I5, l6 and H. The bottom wall I3, has a spindle N! (Fig. 4) firmly mounted thereon, which extends upwardly into the casing and may be steadied at its upper endin the casing top wall 12, as at l9, so as to be firmly held against displacement. The spindle I81 constitutes a mounting for a plurality of drums 20,21 and 22 which are loosely fitted thereon for free rotation so. as to be movable about the spindle independently of one another.

The drums 20, 2| and 22 preferably are. each fashioned from sheet material and each includes a circular top wall. 20a, Ila or 22a respectively, terminating in a. downwardly turned circumferential flange 20b, 2H) and 222) respectively. The drums are supported upon the spindle l8 in superposed relation, one above the other, and they are spaced. apart as shown so that operating mechanism associated with each drum, and to bedescribed presently, maybe arranged between said drums s0 asv to. cooperate with the. circular wallportions thereof Such spacing of the superposed. drums may best be effected by providing flanges 23. on.thespindle I8, which flanges provide seating surfaces. against which the bottom faces of. the circular walls of the respective drums may rest. If desired. the flange 23 supporting the drum 22 maybe integral with the spindle l8. while the. remaining flanges 23 may be pinned or otherwise removably secured in place.

The drums 20, 2| and 22 are, as aforesaid, adapted to rotate freely. about the spindle l8 and means is. provided to cooperate with each drum at its peripheral edge to stabilize said drums and thereby prevent them from wobbling or otherwise assuming positions out. of. the horizontal. To this endthebottom wall $3 of the casing II is formed with portions 24 elevated above the main plane of said bottom wall on either side of the spindle l8.. The elevated portions 24 extend transversely on the bottom l3from the front to the rear of the casing. H. andv they are of sufiicient height to enable segments of the peripheral margin of the. lower drum 2.2. torest thereon and slide freely thereover when said drum is rotated. The intermediate drum 2land the upper drum 20 may be stabilized by providing lips 25. and 26 respectively atone or more places on the inside face of the vertical walls of the casing l l, as shown in Fig. 4, and upon which the marginal edge of the respective drum rests,

Mealtim- The drums 20, 2| and 22 each are adapted to carry selected designations on the outside circurnferential face of their respective circumferential flanges 20b, 2 lb and 2%. In the operation and use of the calendar these designations are successively located in alignment with the respective window openings l5, I6 and H. Accordingly, the lower drum 22 is provided with numerical designations successively arranged to represent the days of a thirty-one day month, that is, said drum carries the numerals one to thirty-one in proper succession equally spaced apart over its entire peripheral area. This drum will herein.- after be referred to as the day of the month drum The designations on the intermediate drum 2| are representative of the twelve months of the year, said drum having the circumferential face of its circumferential flange 2| b suitably divided into twelve equal divisions, each bearing the designation of one month of the year. For the purpose of the present description this drum will hereinafter be referred to as the month drum.

The upper drum 20 carries representations of the days of the week and accordingly the circumferential face of its circumferential flange 20b is divided into seven like spaces and each of said spaces is further divided into two like divisions so that two successive divisions constituting one space will bear the representation of one day of the week and each division thereof will contain ante-meridian (a. m.) or post-meridian (p. m.) representations. Upon reference to the Fig. 1 disclosure it will be noted that a calendar including the various representations as have been mentioned hereinabove will indicate the day of the month, the month and day of the week, as well as a. m. or p. m. designations.

In operation, the day of the month drum 22 is adapted to be advanced step-by-step about the spindle IB, a distance sufiicient to carry a date representation visible through the window l1 away from said window and locate the date representative of the next succeeding day within said window opening, once every twenty-four hours.

Similarly, the month drum 2| is intended to be rotated manually step-by-step about the spindle I8 a distance suflicient to carry the designation of a month aligned with the window opening |B out of alignment and align. the next succeeding month representation with said window opening. Accordingly, the month drum 2| is advanced of a revolution each time the designation visible through the window opening I6 is to be varied.

The day of the week drum 20 likewise is adapted to be advanced step-by-step about the spindle |8 a distance sufiicient to carry the representation aligned with the window opening out of alignment therewith and to locate the next succeeding designation in alignment therewith. Accordingly, the day of the week drum 20 is adapted to be advanced of a revolution every twelve hours.

Step-by step rotation of the drums independently of each other about the spindle l8 preferably is accomplished upon actuation of either manual or power operated mechanism. In the latter event, the mechanism may be opcratively associated with the clock works of an ordinary time piece such as is indicated in Fig. 1 at 21. As shown, the time piece 21 may be mounted within a portion 28 of the casing II which extends upwardly from the top wall l2 and, in the present instance, said clock works is operatively associated with the mechanism for moving the drums 20 and 22 only, through suitable electrically oper atecl means associated therewith.

The operation of the day of the week drum 2|! is accomplished by the mechanism best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As there illustrated, the circular wall 20a of the drum 2|) is provided with a ratchet in the form of an annular series of equally spaced apart openings 29, which openings in the present instance are each representative of one of the fourteen day of the week divisions on the circumferential flange 20b thereof.

A pawl 30, best shown in Fig. 8, is mounted at an. end for rotation about the spindle Hi. This pawl carries a dog 3| adjacent its free end adapted to selectively engage in the openings 23 in the drum 2!] when said pawl is reciprocably rotated about its mounting. Such reciprocable rotation of the pawl 30 is effected at predetermined intervals responsive to operation of the clock works 21. To this end suitable trip mechanism is associated therewith which, as best shown. in Fig. 3, includes a trip lever 32 including a bearing portion 33 journalled at its upper end in a bearing 34 carried on the bottom face of the casing top wall l2. The trip lever 32 is provided, inwardly of its free end, with an integral bearing portion 35 having one end of a link 36 connected thereto. The link extends across the face of the drum 20 and has its other end pivoted, as at 31, to the pawl 30. It should be evident at this time that movement of the trip lever 32 about its axis outwardly away from the day of the week drum 20 will impart movement of the pawl 30 whereby said pawl is effective to advance said day of the week drum a distance corresponding to the distance of movement of said pawl.

The trip lever 32 is adapted to be moved in the manner aforesaid in response to operation of trip mechanism including a rotatable shaft 38 journalled at its ends in the casing bottom l3 and top wall l2, respectively. The shaft 38 carries a plurality of equally spaced apart circumferentiaily arranged radial fingers 39 adjacent its upper end, which fingers cooperate with an upwardly turned extension 4| on the free end of the trip lever 32. In the present embodiment of the invention four such fingers 39 are provided so that upon each quarter revolution of the shaft 38 one of the fingers 39 will engage the extension 4| and carry the trip lever 32 from the full position shown in Fig. 2, into the dotted line position illustrated. A spring 42 having one of its ends clamped firmly to the end of the pawl and its other end anchored to a companion pawl 30a then returns the pawl and trip lever to their initial positions. The return movement of the pawl and trip lever to such positions is limited by the abutment of the trip lever with a radial finger 39. The movement of the trip lever 32 is thereby ef fective to move the pawl 30 a distance necessary to rotate the day of the week drum 2D sufliciently to carry the date representation aligned with the window opening l5 out of alignment therefrom and align the next succeeding date representation with said opening.

Rotation of the shaft 38 is best accomplished by means of dog and ratchet mechanism, indicated generally at 43, which includes a lever 44 connected at its free end, as at 45, to the armature 4B of a solenoid 41. The solenoid 41 is suitably connected with a source of electric current and with electric contacts associated with the clock works 21, so as to be energized momentarily every six hours. Inasmuch as any means may be utilized to momentarily energize the solenoid 413 and because the'particular means de scflbed is not essential ted actuation of the -cal en'dar inechanism, a specific description of the clock work contact-construction is not thoughtto be required. -.."II;he; ra /tchet; mcchanism 43 preferably is of such construction that each time the sol erioid 41 is energized tomove the lever 44, the sh'aft:-38-is ro-tated-Vgof arevolutio'n'. When the solenoid is de-energized, spring means (not shown) returns the armature to its initial position. It will thus be apparent that the solenoid 41 must be actuated twice each time one of the fingers 39, on the shaft 38, is brought into contact with and moved past the pawl actuating trip lever 32, and consequently said trip lever and its pawl 39 are actuated once during each twelve hour period.

The day of the month drum 22 is actuated in a manner like that described with regard to the day of the week drum, but in this instance, the day of the month drum is moved /31 of a revolution for each twenty-four hour period. To accomplish this step-by-step rotation, the circular wall 22a is provided with an annular series of thirty-one equally spaced apart openings 48 adapted to be selectively engaged by the dog 3| on a pawl 39 associated therewith. As best shown in Fig. 5, a link 49 is pivotally connected at one end as at 50 to the pawl 30 and its other end is pivotally mounted on a lug extending upwardly from a trip lever 52 including a bearing portion 3 journalled in axial alignment with the bearing portion 33 of the trip lever 32. The freeend of the trip lever 52 includes an extension 54 located closely adjacent the shaft 38 and said shaft carries a pair of diametrically opposed fingers 55 extending outwardly radially therefrom for selective engagement with the extension 54.

This association of elements is effective to rotate the clay of the month drum 22 step-by-step distances sufficient to carry a date representation aligned with the window opening I! out of such alignment and position the next successive date representation in alignment therewith once every twenty-four hours. Such periodic operation of the pawl is accomplished once for every four periods of energization of the solenoid 41.

If desired, the trip lever 52 may include an upwardly directed extension 56 which terminates in alignment with and in back of the trip lever 32 so as to insure joint operation of both trip levers 32 and 52 each time the trip lever 52 is actuated. This intermittent association between the two trip levers, while not essential to the operation of the device, affords a safety element to avoid any likelihood of the day of the month drum advancing more than two steps without the day of the week drum being advanced one step.

The mechanism insofar as it has been described hereinabove is entirely automatic in its operation and it should be understood at this time that it may be operated manually and that other means may be provided to impart electrical impulses to the solenoid 41 without association with the clock works generally indicated.

Inasmuch as some months of the year have fewer than thirty-one days, auxiliary means is provided in the present mechanism for manually advancing the day of the month drum 22. To this end, a second pawl 30b is operatively associated with the day of the month drum 22 and this pawl carries an operating stem 58 having its free end extending outwardly through the casing II, so as to be engaged manually for actuating the pawl 30b to rotate the drum 22. Manual means is provided alsoitaadvance the day of the week drum 2ll'should"such be required upon initial starting or restarting of the mechanism after stoppage'resulting from an interruption in the operation-ofthe clock control. A second pawl 3Baistherefore associated with'the day of the week dru'm'lll, which-pawl also carries a stem 51 extending to the outside of the casing H for manual operation.

A similar mechanism is provided to effect stepby-step rotation of the month drum 2| at the end of each month so as to locate the next successive month designation in alignment with the window opening H5 in the casing H. As best shown in Fig. 6 the month drum 2| has its circular wall 21a provided with an annular series of twelve equally spaced apart holes 59 which are selectively engaged by a dog on a pawl 30c for free rotation about the spindle l8. A stem BI is operatively connected with the pawl 38c and this stem extends to the outside of the casing H for manual engagement so as to actuate the pawl 30c and advance the month drum the required distance.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the pawl 38 associated with the day of the week drum 20 carries a spring 42 to return it to its initial position after being tripped. Similar springs also identified by the numeral 42 are provided for each of the remaining pawls 30 and pawls 30a, 38b and 300 to return these pawls to their initial positions after each effective actuation thereof. In the instance of the pawl 300, the spring 42 is anchored to the spindle l8.

It should be understood that the calendar illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein may embody a variety of modifications in detail construction and that it may be arranged in a position other than the horizontal position illustrated such as for example, the drums may be aligned on a horizontal axis for rotation in a vertical plane without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a calendar mechanism, a spindle, a series of drums carrying day of the month, month, and day of the week designations respectively loosely mounted on said spindle, a ratchet on each drum, pawls one operatively associated with each of the ratchets on the day of the month drum and on the day of the week drum, trip levers one operatively connected with each pawl, a shaft adapted for intermittent step-by-step rotation, means operable to rotate said shaft, and means on said shaft effective to trip the lever operatively associated with the pawl on the day of the week drum twice as frequent as the lever operatively associated with the pawl on the day of the month drum.

JOSEPH C. MORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 203,640 Paddock May 14, 1878 389,212 Fowle Sept. 11, 1888 395,385 Elsom Jan. 1, 1889 704,916 Peatfield July 15, 1902 1,694,918 Horix Dec. 11, 1928 (Other references on following page) Number Paulin Feb. 14, 1939 Number Number Name Date Harrison June 24, 1941 Balinski Oct. 21, 194 Neyhart June 9, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Aug. 6, 1936 

